Spoke to Michael Bennett a few times about his time in Tampa. Told me, "I don't think the Glazers liked me for some reason." I think his frustration was misdirected though. It was Greg Schiano who did not like him freelancing up front. That's what his team evaluation said prior to entering free agency after the 2012 season.

Or maybe Licht wants to use his draft picks on younger pass rushers with upside instead of older one's who are on the decline. I would've tried to sign Bennett if he hit the market but I'm not sending draft pick and a player for a 33 year old DE. No thanks.

MJW wrote:Wow, the Eagles sure are focused on stockpiling talented defensive linemen, and darned if they didn't win the Superbowl!

Now, let's talk about which running back we should draft here in Tampa...

I am with Bootz on this one. I am all for building the lines, if it is done intelligently. I'd be very leery about giving up assets for a 33 year old de who won't have an all time great secondary behind him anymore.

MJW wrote:Wow, the Eagles sure are focused on stockpiling talented defensive linemen, and darned if they didn't win the Superbowl!

Now, let's talk about which running back we should draft here in Tampa...

I am with Bootz on this one. I am all for building the lines, if it is done intelligently. I'd be very leery about giving up assets for a 33 year old de who won't have an all time great secondary behind him anymore.

I'm not pissed we didn't get in on Bennett. I just want Licht taking notes on how good teams build their rosters. Hint: It's not with skill positioners and toys.

I am with Bootz on this one. I am all for building the lines, if it is done intelligently. I'd be very leery about giving up assets for a 33 year old de who won't have an all time great secondary behind him anymore.

I'm not pissed we didn't get in on Bennett. I just want Licht taking notes on how good teams build their rosters. Hint: It's not with skill positioners and toys.

MJW wrote:Wow, the Eagles sure are focused on stockpiling talented defensive linemen, and darned if they didn't win the Superbowl!

Now, let's talk about which running back we should draft here in Tampa...

I am with Bootz on this one. I am all for building the lines, if it is done intelligently. I'd be very leery about giving up assets for a 33 year old de who won't have an all time great secondary behind him anymore.

MJW wrote:Wow, the Eagles sure are focused on stockpiling talented defensive linemen, and darned if they didn't win the Superbowl!

Now, let's talk about which running back we should draft here in Tampa...

While I'm all for building the lines, you really going to act like the Eagles weren't the #3 rushing team in the league and the #4 during the playoffs? Or they don't go out and get ridiculously big names and talents to bolster their run game all the time? Like really?

MJW wrote:Wow, the Eagles sure are focused on stockpiling talented defensive linemen, and darned if they didn't win the Superbowl!

Now, let's talk about which running back we should draft here in Tampa...

While I'm all for building the lines, you really going to act like the Eagles weren't the #3 rushing team in the league and the #4 during the playoffs? Or they don't go out and get ridiculously big names and talents to bolster their run game all the time? Like really?

No, I'm not minimizing that in the least. They concentrated on BOTH lines. And Ajayi for a 4th? That was trade ****.

The same Eagles who used 2 of their last 3 firsts on a WR & QB and signed one of the top FA WRs last year?

I'm fine with the QB. You get the QB first.

The drafted receivers happened before the current regime got there. Jeffery they signed to an affordable one-year deal, if you'll recall.

You want perspective? In 2 drafts since coming back, Howie Roseman has used 6 total picks on linemen (OL or DL) DESPITE inheriting Lane Johnson, Fletcher Cox, Jason Kelce, Jason Peters, Vinny Curry, and Brandon Graham. He could have used ZERO picks on offensive linemen or defensive linemen and been in great shape. He used 6.

In 4 drafts, despite how bad our lines were when he got here, Licht has used 7 total picks on linemen. But 13 picks on skill position talent, if you count Aguayo.

One guy is raising the Lombardi.The other guy is preparing for his 4th top ten draft pick in five drafts.

Rocker wrote:STAHP! A good running back will instantly make us a contender!!!

I often feel like the "Draft Barkley" crowd is really thinking, "I am so excited to get to draft a Buccaneer in the 1st round of my fantasy league this year."

I think Barkley has the chops to be a really good player. I'm thinking along the lines of a Matt Forte type of career. Whichever team drafts him should be pleased with consistent production. However, we aren't the team that should burn the pick for him. We're simply not at the point where an extra 1 YPC is going to put us in playoff contention. We have significant voids of talent in areas that a team absolutely can't be deficient in and expect to play in January.

Buc You wrote:The same Eagles who used 2 of their last 3 firsts on a WR & QB and signed one of the top FA WRs last year?

I'm fine with the QB. You get the QB first.

The drafted receivers happened before the current regime got there. Jeffery they signed to an affordable one-year deal, if you'll recall.

You want perspective? In 2 drafts since coming back, Howie Roseman has used 6 total picks on linemen (OL or DL) DESPITE inheriting Lane Johnson, Fletcher Cox, Jason Kelce, Jason Peters, Vinny Curry, and Brandon Graham. He could have used ZERO picks on offensive linemen or defensive linemen and been in great shape. He used 6.

In 4 drafts, despite how bad our lines were when he got here, Licht has used 7 total picks on linemen. But 13 picks on skill position talent, if you count Aguayo.

One guy is raising the Lombardi.The other guy is preparing for his 4th top ten draft pick in five drafts.

It's not that simple, there are multiple variables in play there you are completely ignoring. Most notably WHO was on the board when each team drafted. It's one thing to draft say Derrek Barnett and leave OJ Howard on the board, it's another to pass on OJ "just for a DE" and get Charles Harris. You act like we took VH3 (who everyone was high on) over Bosa, we didn't, we took him over Shaq Lawson and your man crush Emmanuel Ogbah (who almost made it to us in round 2). You are trying way too hard to make it seem like JL just passes on all this obviously great line talent for skill positions because that's just not true. With the exception of one Laremy Tunsil, who fell for a good reason and has been a disappointment in miami so far, there is simply no evidence of that.

Also, IDK where you are getting your numbers but the Eagles have drafted six linemen in the last THREE years. And while Vaitai stepped up great after Peters went down, look at everyone outside their 1st rounder Barnett- Brian Mihalik, Alex McCalister, Isaac Seumalo, Elijah Qualls- you aren't going to tell me these guys are the reason Roseman is holding a Lombardi, heck two weren't even with the team. You are desperate to string together these false conclusions.

The drafted receivers happened before the current regime got there. Jeffery they signed to an affordable one-year deal, if you'll recall.

You want perspective? In 2 drafts since coming back, Howie Roseman has used 6 total picks on linemen (OL or DL) DESPITE inheriting Lane Johnson, Fletcher Cox, Jason Kelce, Jason Peters, Vinny Curry, and Brandon Graham. He could have used ZERO picks on offensive linemen or defensive linemen and been in great shape. He used 6.

In 4 drafts, despite how bad our lines were when he got here, Licht has used 7 total picks on linemen. But 13 picks on skill position talent, if you count Aguayo.

One guy is raising the Lombardi.The other guy is preparing for his 4th top ten draft pick in five drafts.

It's not that simple, there are multiple variables in play there you are completely ignoring. Most notably WHO was on the board when each team drafted. It's one thing to draft say Derrek Barnett and leave OJ Howard on the board, it's another to pass on OJ "just for a DE" and get Charles Harris. You act like we took VH3 (who everyone was high on) over Bosa, we didn't, we took him over Shaq Lawson and your man crush Emmanuel Ogbah (who almost made it to us in round 2). You are trying way too hard to make it seem like JL just passes on all this obviously great line talent for skill positions because that's just not true. With the exception of one Laremy Tunsil, who fell for a good reason and has been a disappointment in miami so far, there is simply no evidence of that.

Also, IDK where you are getting your numbers but the Eagles have drafted six linemen in the last THREE years. And while Vaitai stepped up great after Peters went down, look at everyone outside their 1st rounder Barnett- Brian Mihalik, Alex McCalister, Isaac Seumalo, Elijah Qualls- you aren't going to tell me these guys are the reason Roseman is holding a Lombardi, heck two weren't even with the team. You are desperate to string together these false conclusions.

Uh huh.

The Eagles have made their lines a priority.We have made everything else a priority.

It's funny to think back this time last year. The general consensus (even here in Philly) was that the Eagles may have made a mistake hiring Pederson -- largely because he didn't appear to have the playcalling chops; however, they new they had their QB. They were making splash band-aid signings in Alston Jeffery, Jeffery, Torrey Smith, and Blount. They hadn't yet made the moves for Darby or Ajayi.

Meanwhile, the Bucs were a young team on the rise and one to watch. A lot of Eagles fans thought they were a year or so behind the Bucs in their rise -- if Pederson could pull things together.